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SPARTACUS (1960)
How do you begin to choose a masterpiece from a back catalogue as prominent as Stanley Kubricks? With such creative works as the provocative ‘A Clockwork Orange’, the intellectual sci-fi ‘2001 A Space Odyssey’, the spine-chilling ‘The Shining’ and the brilliantly crafted ‘Full Metal Jacket’, you might think it hard to decide. Well in fact the answer is quite simple, respectfully push the fore mentioned movies aside and select the wonder that is ‘Spartacus’.
Ironic really when you think that Kubrick only got this gig after being dumped from the set of ‘One Eyed Jacks’ by Marlon Brando after six months of un-digestible pre-production. A $12million motion picture now awaited the up-and-coming director and what he delivered was nothing short of an epic to beat all others. However some years later Kubrick did go on record stating that he would prefer it if ‘Spartacus’ was removed from his oeuvre altogether as he held a dislike for it’s screenplay. Without the esteem he would hold within Hollywood further down his career path he had no choice at the time but to go with the script executive producer and star Kirk Douglas was offering.
It was actually the film’s screenplay, which caused the most controversy sounding the making and release of this epic picture. Writer Dalton Trumbo was a former member of ‘The Hollywood Ten’, a group of filmmakers who, in 1947, appeared in front of the house committee for ‘Un-American Activities’ and were convicted of contempt after refusing to deny communist sympathies. Each individual was subsequently blacklisted and sent to federal prison for one year. Douglas claims that ‘Spartacus’ was the first Hollywood picture to credit a blacklisted member of ‘The Hollywood Ten’ since their incarceration.
‘Spartacus’ (Kirk Douglas) is the story of a slave, a slave who became a gladiator, a gladiator who took on the might of the Roman Empire. Set in 70 BC this slave, thrown into the ancient arena of Roman entertainment, emerges from a well-oiled group of gladiators as a born leader who sets up his own revolt against his captors.
Spartacus along with his new found allies escape the confines of the battle arena and, along with his close friend Antoninus (Tony Curtis), they head for the hills of Rome to form an army capable of attacking the empire in their own back yard. On his travels he meets and falls in love with Varinia (Jean Simmons), a slave herself who believes in Spartacus’ cause.
Meanwhile a confident fast rising Roman soldier named Julius Caesar (John Gavin) is called before Gracchus (Charles Laughton) and the Roman senate to seek out and destroy Spartacus’ now impressive army before it reaches Rome and the source of the biggest empire in the world.
An astonishing assemble of talent was recruited to pull off this courageous tale of love, loyalty and honour. Alex North, whom delivers a quite exceptional score, the legendary Saul Bass, brought in as the film designer and Academy Award winner Peter Ustinov, who plays the cowardly slave trader ‘Batiatus’, are just some of the major contributors.
Altogether these eminent filmmakers have helped turn Spartacus into a classic, which surpasses time with ease thanks to excellence, perfection and, whether he likes it or not, Stanley Kubrick.
Stuart Evans
How do you begin to choose a masterpiece from a back catalogue as prominent as Stanley Kubricks? With such creative works as the provocative ‘A Clockwork Orange’, the intellectual sci-fi ‘2001 A Space Odyssey’, the spine-chilling ‘The Shining’ and the brilliantly crafted ‘Full Metal Jacket’, you might think it hard to decide. Well in fact the answer is quite simple, respectfully push the fore mentioned movies aside and select the wonder that is ‘Spartacus’.
Ironic really when you think that Kubrick only got this gig after being dumped from the set of ‘One Eyed Jacks’ by Marlon Brando after six months of un-digestible pre-production. A $12million motion picture now awaited the up-and-coming director and what he delivered was nothing short of an epic to beat all others. However some years later Kubrick did go on record stating that he would prefer it if ‘Spartacus’ was removed from his oeuvre altogether as he held a dislike for it’s screenplay. Without the esteem he would hold within Hollywood further down his career path he had no choice at the time but to go with the script executive producer and star Kirk Douglas was offering.
It was actually the film’s screenplay, which caused the most controversy sounding the making and release of this epic picture. Writer Dalton Trumbo was a former member of ‘The Hollywood Ten’, a group of filmmakers who, in 1947, appeared in front of the house committee for ‘Un-American Activities’ and were convicted of contempt after refusing to deny communist sympathies. Each individual was subsequently blacklisted and sent to federal prison for one year. Douglas claims that ‘Spartacus’ was the first Hollywood picture to credit a blacklisted member of ‘The Hollywood Ten’ since their incarceration.
‘Spartacus’ (Kirk Douglas) is the story of a slave, a slave who became a gladiator, a gladiator who took on the might of the Roman Empire. Set in 70 BC this slave, thrown into the ancient arena of Roman entertainment, emerges from a well-oiled group of gladiators as a born leader who sets up his own revolt against his captors.
Spartacus along with his new found allies escape the confines of the battle arena and, along with his close friend Antoninus (Tony Curtis), they head for the hills of Rome to form an army capable of attacking the empire in their own back yard. On his travels he meets and falls in love with Varinia (Jean Simmons), a slave herself who believes in Spartacus’ cause.
Meanwhile a confident fast rising Roman soldier named Julius Caesar (John Gavin) is called before Gracchus (Charles Laughton) and the Roman senate to seek out and destroy Spartacus’ now impressive army before it reaches Rome and the source of the biggest empire in the world.
An astonishing assemble of talent was recruited to pull off this courageous tale of love, loyalty and honour. Alex North, whom delivers a quite exceptional score, the legendary Saul Bass, brought in as the film designer and Academy Award winner Peter Ustinov, who plays the cowardly slave trader ‘Batiatus’, are just some of the major contributors.
Altogether these eminent filmmakers have helped turn Spartacus into a classic, which surpasses time with ease thanks to excellence, perfection and, whether he likes it or not, Stanley Kubrick.
Stuart Evans